My new gaming desktop

[emmzee]

So I'm trying to decide how to buy my new desktop ... which I wanna use for gaming ... and "serious" stuff just so that it's faster nstuff than my current non-gaming thin/light laptop.

My options are basically:
- Buy it from Dell
- Get a local computer store (or Internet shop like NCIX) to build it for me
- Build it myself

Frankly I'd prefer to buy it from Dell (or another cheapish pre-made dealer), since a) I haven't built a PC in many years b) I'm lazy c) I want a warranty so that if I can breaks I can say "fix it" d) It's actually pretty cheap

Anyone had recent experience with Dell? My friend claims that Dell's motherboards are crap ... tho that may be a case of a bad motherboard. I've read that Dell uses FoxConn motherboards for their XPS line (what I'd be getting) which don't sound so bad as far as I've read ...

(Note: I'm AWARE that it would be probably be cheaper for me to shop around and build it myself. I've already admitted that I'm lazy and incompetent so I'd rather not go that route Also I don't have a lot of time to build it. So posts saying "Just build it yourself" aren't that helpful.)

[dosraider]

- Get a local computer store (or Internet shop like NCIX) to build it for me

Reading your post and taking in count your legendary laziness that's the most advisable solution.
I can't advise Dell.
In fact I can't advise any brand PC.
I could put in a long list about the 'why', but I won't. I am almost as lazy as you. I'm sure you heard it all before anyway.

One last advise: be sure if you opt for the 'local store or inet solution' that you get all the needed install CDs, OS included. NOT some 'restore your system' worthless crap.

[emmzee]

Reading your post and taking in count your legendary laziness that's the most advisable solution.

Mmmk.

One last advise: be sure if you opt for the 'local store or inet solution' that you get all the needed install CDs, OS included. NOT some 'restore your system' worthless crap.

That is indeed good advice, I didn't get one with my first laptop, and it was a pain in the butt when I wanted to reinstall Windows.

[wardrich]

lol, remember when you used to look like that Dell kid? hahahahahahaha.


I'd advise either getting one from NCIX (or your local small computer shop) or just buying the parts and building your own. It's really not hard to do, at all.

[Larry Laffer]

Prebuilt systems are usually crap.

I say you go to said shop and get a custom built. Even in the event that it breaks, you'll probably get warranty on the individual components, so you could still get to say "Fix it!"

Now yea, it's probably the most expensive of alternatives, but being lazy costs extra!

[Dogbreath]

Option 4: pay Dogbreath lots of money to build one for you.

I have to recommend against Dell. While they offer probably the cheapest prices for decent quality laptops (mine is a Dell), they just don't hold together well. Currently I'm having a problem with my battery on my laptop, for example, and Dell, being a massive multi-national cooperation, doesn't give a shit about their reputation and will screw you over as much as they can.

I'd go local. Lots of good computer shops in Toronto, and they care enough about reputation to do a good job building your machine, and to fix it properly if it goes bad. It might cost you an extra $500 or so, but it's well worth it, IMO.

[AdamN]

I went to a local computer fair and they built the computer while I was walking around all they wanted to know before hand was what OS I wanted and if I want DVD Burner or CD Burner, but in choosing the DVD (good thing I lived locally at the time) I had to upgrade the RAM from 256MB to 512MB.
Since then it's had the 512MB upgraded to 1GB then 2GB RAM*, 128MB DDR2 ATI Radeon replaced with 256MB DDR2 ATI Radeon, 24-bit Surround Sound Card, Netgear 108Mbps W-LAN NIC and other little USB things such as BlueTooth Adapter for me mobile phone etc etc

* Parents get my old parts for their machine *

[dosraider]

Yeah yeah, nice son you are, ditching your ol'junk into your parent's rig.

Shame on you.

[emmzee]

Hey I forgot about this thread. I ended up building one myself:

ASUS P5Q Motherboard
Intel Quad Core 2.4ghz (Q6600)
Sapphire Radeon 3850
OCZ 4gb RAM
Western Digital 500gb HD
20" wide Samsung LCD monitor

Turned out pretty good. Initially I made the mistake of putting too much Arctic Silver 5 thermal compound on the CPU so I was getting idle temps in Windows of 55C ... took the heatsink off, cleaned off the paste, reapplied, and added a second case fan at the front, and now my idle temp is 38-40C. So, success, woo. It's torture going back and using my old laptop now that I'm used to this one

[dosraider]

Looks pretty good.
Will take another year or so to take full advantage of that quad core (not much progs can take full benefit yet of a quad) but it will be performant for a long while.

Nice one.

BTW: OS?

[emmzee]

Vista I actually have surprisingly had no problems with it so far ... after turning off the uber-annoying User Account Control, that is.

It runs smoothly (ooh, glossy) tho I dunno how well it'd work on older comps. (I wouldn't run it on my old laptop, for example.)

[dosraider]

Vista I actually have surprisingly had no problems with it so far ...

Not really a surprise, it's build to run on modern and powerful multicore systems.
And with 4Gb RAM you have enough, that is if you let the Win upgrade do his work, -( at least once)- you only can benefit fully from that 4 Gb after a visit to MS upgrade center, somekind of a joke I guess.... or anti-pirate mesure, lolz.

On older underpowered systems ... that's where the shit hits the fan, so to speak.

And I suppose I don't have to tell you to stay away from all those 'custom' Vista enhancers, there is some real crap amongst those. (Same thing goes for Xp).


Ahwell, could be worse, you could be on a Mac now.

[Wally]

You saying OSX is shit?

D:

Look at Microsoft's poor attempts to imitate it!

Wally

[dosraider]

I deny everything.

[franpa]

purchasing a prebuilt computer from Dell, HP, etc. is not a good idea, they charge about 500 - 800$ more then what it would cost to build it yourself. You can usually build a vastly better computer yourself for the same price as one of Dells or HPs systems.